Molecular Nanofibers Stronger Than Steel Created by MIT Researchers

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Molecular nanofibers that were inspired by Kelvar have been curated by the researchers of MIT in a successful attempt to create nanofibers that are stronger than steel. These researchers have created extremely small molecules that have the capability to form nanoribbons when water is appropriately added to them.

They are said to have been inspired by Kelvar because there is an aramid domain present within their designs. These aramids are responsible for the creation of nanoribbons that are stronger even to steel.

There are parts of this nanofiber in green, purple and blue, all representing different aspects of the molecule and they all eventually guide the molecules to form the nanostructure.

These nanofibers are different because they have robustness which then offers materials for the solid-state applications. These also follow the natural coherent rule of self-assembly that is inherently found in every living organism.

This phenomenon of the formation of nanofibers is as organic as it gets as there is no need for supervision, everything happens at its own pace, and one step at a time.

This innovation of nanofibers is very important for science as it will help to further advance the study of nanofibers. Since the last few decades, there have been unprecedented levels of hard work that scientists across the globe have put to create a substance that would assemble itself in water.

But all those efforts up until now proved to be futile. One problem with such substances that assemble themselves in water is that they degrade very quickly and to further add on to the troubles, these are highly unstable chemical components.

Now, in order to sustain this nanofiber a component was create that likes to be water on the outside that is it is hydrophilic whereas the inner component resists or completely avoids water, that is, it is hydrophobic. Such an approach worked wonders as for the first time, a strong nanofiber that assembled in water was created.

The main part of the job has been completed, what lies further for these researchers is the quest to figure out where can these nanofibers be best put to use.